Adjustable lounge



June 15, 1954 y L 2,681,099

ADJUSTABLE LOUNGE Filed Dec. 7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JOSEPH M.VALLONE MMQ M 4- ATTORNEYS June 15, 1954 J, A'L 2,681,099

ADJUSTABLE LOUNGE Filed Dec. '7, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 15,1954 ADJUSTABLE LOUNGE Joseph M. Vallone, Hamburg, N. Y., assignor toBarcalo Manufacturing Company,

Buffalo,

Application December 7, 1951, Serial No. 260,533

7 Claims.

This invention relates to adjustable reclining chairs or lounges, andmore particularly to such devices of the outdoor type and which areadapted to fold for carrying or storage purposes.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide in anadjustable reclining chair or the like an improved reclining adjustmentcontrol mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedadjustable reclining lounge or chair which is readily foldable forcarrying or storage purposes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thespecification hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of the frame structure of a loungechair of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing in solid lines the loungechair of Fig. 1 in folded condition, and in broken lines the loungechair is shown in variously adjusted operating positions;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view, taken along line III-III of Fig.1, but on an enlarged scale, with portions broken away to show thereclining adjustment control mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a section taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a section taken along line V--V of Fig. 4.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing as being embodied in alounge-type reclining chair comprising generally a bent tubular framestructure adapted to have a covering of canvas or other suitable fabricspanning the seat and back portions thereof. However, it will of coursebe understood that the invention may be embodied with equal facility ina chair or lounge fabricated of other type parts formed of metal or woodor the like.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the improved chairconstruction as illustrated therein comprises a generally U-shaped baseframe member H) which pivotally connects at its opposite side portionsby means of pivot connections i2i2 to corresponding opposite side legsof an inverted U-shaped frame piece M. At its rear end the frame piece Iis bent downwardly for ground contact purposes, as indicated at I (Fig.1); and thus when the frame piece it is pivoted to a substantiallyupright position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and as shown by broken linesin Fig. 2, the members lO-M cooperate to provide an elevated seat framestructure adapted to carry a seat canvas as indicated at 2 16 or anyother suitable type seat member in lieu thereof.

A back frame is provided as illustrated in the drawing to comprise aninverted U-shapecl frame piece 18 which is mounted at its lower oppositeside ends by means of pivot connection devices iii-l9 upon the basemember it; and as indicated at 20 a back canvas or equivalent device iscarried by the back frame member l8 to complete the back rest portion ofthe chair. A leg rest device is illustrated as comprising another U-shaped frame member 22 which is mounted at its opposite ends by pivotconnection devices 2323 to the corresponding forward end portions of thebase frame member Ill; the pivotal connections 23-23 being convenientlyformed by means of pivot brackets extending rigidly from the membersiii-22 and engaging a transverse brace bar M which is fixed at itsopposite ends to the opposite leg portions of the base member 14. Avertical front support comprising a U-shaped frame piece 26 is hingedlyconnected as indicated at 2'i2l to the front end portions of the legrest member 22, whereby the leg rest member 22 may be convenientlypropped up by the member 26 in any desired position of elevationaladjustment. As indicated at 28 (Fig. 1), a canvas cover piece may bestretched across the leg rest frame member 22 to complete the bodysupporting portions of the chair structure.

To provide at once arm rests and means for controlling the angularadjustments of the back frame it relative to the seat frame it, I show atelescopic tube device at each side of the chair including in eachinstance an outer tube 30 which is pivotally connected at its rear endto the back frame i5 by means of a bolt 3!. A smaller tube 32 istelescopically fitted inside of each tube 39 and is pivotally connectedat its front end by means of a bolt st to the upper end of thecorresponding leg portion of the frame member 14. An arm rest 35 ispivotally mounted by means of a bracket St on the corresponding bolt 3|extending from the back frame member it, and the parts are sodimensioned and arranged that the arm rest 35 is thereby disposed to lieabove and parallel to the telescopic tube devices 3il-32. Adjacent itsforward end each arm rest device is fitted with a downwardly extendingbracket 38 which is ported as indicated at 39 to accommodate in slidingrelation therethrough the corresponding telescopic tube assembly Sit-32.However, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, the

upper edge of the port 39 through the bracket member 38 is squared asindicated at 40 so as to be adapted to drop through a slot portion 32 inthe upper surface of the telescopic tube 38 and to thereupon engage ineither one of a series of notches M (Figs. 3%) formed in the uppersurface of the inner tube 32. Thus, it will be understood that the edgeportion 38 of the bracket 33 is adapted to function as latch device forlooking the tubes fil -32 together in variously telescopically adjustedpositions, whereby in turn to lock the chair structure in variouslyadjusted positions of angular adjustment of the back rest member 53relative to the seat frame portion 0. A tension spring i5 is hooked atits opposite ends upon the bolts 3l-3 i respectively, and is so selectedand dimensioned as to furnish a constant biasing force tending to pullthe tubes B l-32 into completely telescoped position.

I is a particular feature of the chair con struction of the resentinvention that the transverse bar 243 extends at its opposite endsbeyond the positions of the pivotal connection devices 23 and intopositions of interference with free pivotal movements of the uprightframe portion 14 beyond the position thereof as shown for example inFigs. 1 and 4. Thus, when the chair is set up in operative position asshown in Figs. 1 and l, for example, the arm rest devices 35 may bemanually lifted so as to free the latch portions is from the tube slots42 whereupon baclzward pressure against the back rest device 2% willcause the back rest portion of the chair to pivot rearwardly against theforces of the springs 4545 to any position of rearwardly adjustedangularity relative to the seat portion of the device. Then, the armrest devices may be released so that the latch portions all drop throughthe slots :32 and into one of the notches of the inner tube member 32,thereby locking the telescopic tube device and the back rest device inthe desired adjusted position for comfortable reclining purposes. Then,at any time the user may simply lift the front ends of the arm rests3535 to release the latching mechanism, whereupon the back rest willtend to move forwardly and assume its maximum upright position by virtueof the action of the springs Q5.

Thus it will be appreciated that the back rest portion of the device maybe readily adjusted and latched in any desired position by simplylifting up upon the front ends of the arm rests and then releasing themto obtain the desired latched condition. It will also be appreciatedthat this mode of latching control provides a marked advance insimplicity of construction and con venience of operation for the user,because it eliminates the necessity for fumbling around in an effort tolocate some more conventional type of latching device. In fact, when theoperator is reclining in the chair it is most natural for him to graspthe front ends of the arm rests with his hands and to pull upwardlythereon for latch adjustment purposes incidental to pullin his bodyforwardly or pushing it rearwardly and when getting in or out of thechair.

It will also be appreciated that by virtue of the construction asillustrated and explained hereinabove the chair device is susceptible ofeasy folding for storage or transport purposes. As illustrated in Fig.2, for example, the back rest and arm rest elements are at all timesfreely pivotable forwardly as to the solid line reclining positionthereof shown in Fig. 2, while the leg rests and vertical prop devices2-225 are freely pivotable downwardly and under the frame member ID asto the solid line positions thereof shown in Fig. 2. This nests theentire structure into an extremely compact and relatively fiat unit suchas may be readily picked up and carried from place to place and storedwith utmost facility. It will be appreciated that this folding of thedevice is accomplished without disconnection and/or removal of any partsand without the use of any tool; and that therefore the unit is at alltimes readily usable and/or foldable into compact form in response toapplication of simple folding or unfolding pressures.

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described indetail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that theinvention is not :so limited but that various changes may be madetherein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An adjustable reclining chair comprising a seat frame memberincluding means at the rear end thereof for ground contact purposes,afront support member for said sea-t frame member pivotally connected tothe front end thereof and extending vertically thereabove, a back framemember pivotally connected to and extending vertically from said seatframe member at a position spaced rearwardly from said front supportmember, a length adjustable telescopic tube device extending betweensaid front support memher and said back frame member and pivotallyconnected respectively thereto, an arm rest device pivotally connectedat its rear end to said back frame member extending therefrom along saidtelescopic tube device, means carried by said arm rest device fordetachably latching said telescopic tube device in different positionsof relative telescopic adjustment, spring means normally biasing saidtelescopic tube device toward fully telescoped position, a leg restframe member extending forwardly from said seat frame member andpivotally connected thereto, stop means carried by said seat framemember to limit the pivoting movement of said front support member in achair opening direction relative thereto, and vertical prop meanshingedly connected to said leg rest frame member for propping the latterin vertically elevated position.

2. An adjustable reclining chair comprising .a seat frame memberincluding means at the rear end thereof for ground contact purposes, afront support member for said seat frame member pivotally connected tothe front end thereof and extending vertically thereabove, a back framemember pivotally connected to and extending vertically from said seatframe member at a position spaced rearwardly from said front supportmember, a length adjustable spacing strut device extending from saidfront support member to said back frame member and pivotally connectedrespectively thereto, an arm rest device pivotally connected at its rearend to said back frame member and extending therefrom along said strutdevice, means carried by said arm rest device for detachably latchingsaid strut device in different positions of length adjustment, springmeans normally biasing said strut device toward fully retractedposition, a leg rest frame member extending forwardly from said seatframe member and pivotally connected thereto, stop means carried by saidseat frame member to limit the chair opening pivoting movement of saidfront sup-port member relative thereto, and vertical prop means hingedlyconnected to said leg rest frame member for propping the latter invertically elevated position.

3. An adjustable reclining chair comprising a seat frame memberincluding means at the rear end thereof for ground contact purposes, afront support member for said seat frame member pivotally connected tothe front end thereof and extending vertically thereabove, a back framemember pivotally connected to and extending vertically from said seatframe member at a position spaced rearwardly from said front supportmember, length adjustable telescopic spacing means extending from saidfront support member to said back frame member and pivotally connectedrespectively thereto, arm rest means pivotally connected at one endthereof to said back frame member and extending therefrom along saidtelescopic spacing means, means carried by said arm rest means fordetachably latching said telescopic spacing means in different positionsof relative telescopic adjustment, a leg rest frame member extendingforwardly from said seat frame member and pivotally connected thereto,and stop means carried by said seat frame member to limit the chairopening pivoting movement of said front support member relative thereto.

4. An adjustable reclining chair comprising a seat frame memberincluding means at the rear end thereof for ground contact purposes, afront support member for said seat frame member pivotally connected tothe front end thereof and extending vertically thereabove, a back framemember pivotally connected to and extending vertically from said seatframe member at a position spaced rearwardly from said front supportmember, length adjustable telescopic tube devices extending between saidfront support member and said back frame member and pivotally connectedrespectively thereto, arm rest devices pivotally connected at their rearends to said back frame member and extending therefrom along saidtelescopic tube devices, means carried by said arm rest devices fordetachably latching said telescopic tube devices in different positionsof relative telescopic adjustment, spring means normally biasing saidtelescopic tube devices toward fully telescoped position, and stop meanscarried by said seat frame member to limit the chair opening pivotingmovement of said front sup port member relative thereto.

5. An adjustable reclining chair comprising a seat frame memberincluding means at the rear end thereof for ground contact purposes, afront support member for said seat frame member pivotally connected tothe front end thereof and extending vertically thereabove, a back framemember pivotally connected to and extending vertically from said seatframe member at a position spaced rearwardly from said front supportmember, length adjustable telescopic tube devices extending between saidfront support member and said back frame member and pivotally connectedrespectively thereto, arm rest devices pivotally connected at their rearends to said back frame member and extending therefrom along saidtelescopic tube devices, said tube devices being notched at intervalstherealong, means carried by said arm rest devices for engaging saidnotches and detachably latching said telescopic tube devices indifferent positions of relative telescopic adjustment, spring meansnormally biasing said telescopic tube devices toward fully telescopedposition, a leg rest frame member extending forwardly from said seatframe member and pivotally connected thereto, and stop means carried bysaid seat frame member to limit the chair opening pivoting movement ofsaid front support member relative thereto.

6. A chair comprising a seat frame including leg means at the rear endthereof for ground contact purposes, front leg means for said seat framepivotally connected to the front end thereof, a back frame pivotallyconnected to and extending vertically from said seat frame member at aposition spaced rearwardly from said front leg means, said front legmeans having integral extensions above the level of said seat frame,length adjustable telescopic position adjustment means extending betweensaid front leg means and said back frame and pivotally connectedrespectively thereto, arm rest means pivotally connected at one endthereof to said back frame and extending along said telescopic positionadjustment means, means carried by said arm rest means for detachablylatching said telescopic position adjustment means in differentpositions of relative telescopic adjustment, spring means normallybiasing said telescopic position adjustment means toward fullytelescoped position, and stop means carried by said seat frame to limitthe pivoting movement of said front leg means relative thereto in achair opening direction.

'7. A folding chair comprising a seat frame including leg means at therear end thereof for ground contact purposes, front leg means for saidseat frame pivotally connected to th front end thereof and extendingtransversely thereof, a

seat back frame pivotally connected to and extending above said seatframe at a position spaced rearwardly from said front leg means,extensible spacing strut means extending between said front leg meansand said seat back fram and pivotally connected respectively thereto,arm rest means pivotally connected at one end thereof to said seat backframe and extending therefrom along said spacing strut means, meanscarried by said arm rest means for detachably latching said spacingstrut means in different positions of relative adjustment, spring meansnormally biasing said spacing strut means toward fully retractedposition, and stop means carried by said seat frame to limit the chairopening pivoting movement of said front leg means relative thereto.

Country Date Netherlands Jan. 16, 1933 Number

